Femme on Fire: Corri English

By Michael J. Lockhart

Photography by Marc Cartwright

April 4, 2012

This week’s woman to watch is just as at home on stage belting out country as she is screaming for her life. Currently starring on FEARnet’s hilarious new horror-comedy Holliston, Corri English portrays the unattainable quirky girl-next-door. Fronting the country-rock band Brokedown Cadillac for the better part of four years, our very own Princess of Horror steals each scene with her talent, humor, and ability to run away from chainsaws.

From horror-director Adam Green, Holliston is a sitcom best described as The Big Bang Theory meets The Walking Dead. Based off of Green’s own life experiences growing up in Holliston, MA, the story focuses on Green’s character who along with his best friend Joe (Joe Lynch) make low grade TV commercials under the watchful eye of station owner Lance (Twisted Sister’s Dee Snide).

Corri squeezed us into her busy schedule to chat with us about her new show, what keeps her awake at night, and how she came to front her very own country-rock band.

Playboy.com: How would you describe Holliston? Would you say horror-comedy fits the bill?

*English: *I think the horror-comedy thing is definitely appropriate, or maybe comedy-horror. That doesn’t flow as well but I think it’s funny before it gets scary [laughs]. It’s also very much a traditional sitcom. It’s got storylines that have to do with relationships and dealing with life and overcoming challenges. It’s a great balance of pushing the edges of outlandishness, but still having some heart in there too.

Playboy.com: What is it like to work with Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider on the show?

*English: *He’s hilarious and is such a great person! He’s such a badass rock star but this amazing family guy. I was so impressed with what he did with the show, he took every stereotype out there about rock star tendencies and brought them to life; outlandish, but still so real.

Playboy.com: Is anything going to happen on the Corri-Laura (Laura Ortiz) front, or was that seductive flirting just a one-off tease for all the guys out there?

*English: *I’m curious about that as well! Obviously Laura’s character is with Joe, and my character has her sexual tension with Adam. But again, with this show anything can happen…I wouldn’t rule it out [laughs]!

Playboy.com: Was it different shooting Holliston compared to your horror film House of Fears?

English: In House of Fears you’re dealing with something so based in reality, where it’s all very real and as an actor you’re pulling up those real emotions of fear, like you’re going to die or something really scary is chasing you. With Holliston, it’s a much lighter version of that.

*English: *I’m currently working on a new record with the band that I’m really excited about. We’re in the process of picking the songs for the album.

Playboy.com: What would be your first love, singing or acting?

*English: *I’ve always tried to balance them both. From the time I was a little kid I was lucky with my acting career, so that’s been my primary focus. Then a few years ago, when the writer’s strike happened, I found myself with some downtime. So I decided to take my music career to a different level, I’m not good at sitting around [laughs]. I formed a band called Brokedown Cadillac and since then it’s definitely become a juggling act because I don’t have any downtime anymore. That’s the way I like it!

Playboy.com: While Brokedown Cadillac has its own country tracks now, what were some of your favorite songs to cover when starting out?

*English: *I have so many favorites! I’m a huge Sheryl Crow fan; we did the song “Strong Enough,” which I love. Also Cyndi Lauper, “Time After Time” and “True Colors.” The other thing I also like to do is take a guy song and do my own version of it. We did “Wonderwall” and also Def Leoppard’s “Photographs.” That was a lot of favorites! I’m just very indecisive [laughs].

Playboy.com: We have to ask, what was your first time reading Playboy?

*English: *I was at summer camp and my friend and I went across the street…I don’t know why we weren’t being supervised. We snuck into a gas station or a convenience store and grabbed a Playboy and hid in the bathroom and read it. I think we grabbed a Playgirl too, I think we wanted to see both sides [laughs]. Oh and Mom, it was her idea, not mine!